I am delighted to be able to tell you that restrictions on dental practices have now been reduced to Level 1 as from Friday 8th May. What this means for our office and our patients, is that we are able to perform all dental procedures.

A heightened awareness as to community conditions is still required and as always, we take above standard levels of care and precautions to protect both our patients and our team. Under Level 1 Restrictions we still have additional pre-screening questions, and social distancing and sanitation measures.

We may ask questions such as the following: Have you

been overseas in the last two weeks

had contact with a known/suspected COVID-19 case in the last two weeks

resided in or visited a known high-risk area with a cluster of cases

recently tested positive for COVID-19

demonstrated any of the following symptoms:

fever

a cough

sore throat

shortness of breath

fatigue

other respiratory symptoms

recent loss of smell/taste

We wish you all well, safe keeping and look forward to assisting you with all of your dental needs with some small resemblance of return to normality.

To all of our patients, team members, our community support, and suppliers, on behalf of myself and our team at Simply Beautiful Smiles, we hope you are faring well and keeping safe and sound.

These are difficult times in many and varied ways for all of us. The dental community has been hit very hard with mandated restrictions which have been very far reaching and very strict.

Many practices are closed and may never reopen. Our own practice had a reduced patient flow to less than 5% of capacity, restricted to only emergency dental treatment that could not be postponed.

The good news is, dental practice restrictions are being eased to a Level 2 as from Monday 27th April 2020. This means in effect that we can undertake most dental procedures that we normally do, with a few extra precautions, as well as maintaining social distancing as much as possible, and additional health and welfare measures, including pre-screening for high risk individuals.

This ANZAC Day is a special one for many reasons. Being apart from friends and loved-ones does not mitigate nor minimise the essence of “Mateship.”

The theme for ANZAC Day this year is Mateship. As we pause and reflect upon the sacrifice and accepted burden of those who served and those who continue to serve, those who support those in service, the families of Veterans and those that were left behind, we remember that we are free and safe, because of their selfless service.

In these uncertain times, those who serve have stepped to the fore once again, to fight another unseen common enemy, and stand aside those who first respond, look after our health, our well-being and provide essential services.